Echolink Saves a life

[kc8ycz]

Date of incident 12-29-05
Date of artical 12-30-05

As I sat in front of my computer with echolink on and connected to The Missing Lynk System a messege comes across that a fellow ham needs help. G4WDI was suffering from a heart attack right at his home while talking on the radio. WA4VWV was chatting with James when it happened and this is an email that was sent to me directly from Steve, WA4VWV:

"James...you sounded like things were not going well...and then I
got the text message that simply said "HELP"

We rallied the troops and had the paramedics dispatched to your QTH. Hope you didn't mind that friends of yours was concerned, but when I get a message that says "HELP" then be assured that I will gather every resource available to make sure it happens.

It took several folks on MissLynk to assist and gents from Indiana, Arizona and Washington were directly involved and the entire network went quiet until we were sure that assistance was on the way. Geez, talk about the spirit and intent of amateur radio. We all anxiously await positive news!

Let me know what you can, when you can. Take care and be well!

73 de Steve, WA4VWV"

Also sent in another email was an update:

"Let the record show that our good gang did, in fact, save a life. The British Army Air Corps responded and found him damned near flatlined, fired up a chopper and flew him off. Apparently he was on O2, along with CPR during the flight.

A rush trip to the ER of his local hospital brought him around and about 4:15 this AM I got the word that all is once again well. Hey guys...let's face the reality of last night. Were it not for the "system" and some heroic reactions, we might have had a Silent Key on our hands. By all means, this should be an Amateur Radio Newsline item. What a classic example of our hobby, with several people involved, quite actually saving a life of a fellow ham in a whole different part of the world. Geez, am I proud of our collective efforts! Thanks to all involved! This not to pump sunshine up our skirts, but an acknowledgement of a job well done!

73 de WA4VWV"

Just goes to show, doesn't matter what you use as a tool as long as it's for the greater good.

[N3HGB]

How do you send text messages via Echolink? Is this a new thing?

[va3win]

It is so refreshing to hear GOOD NEWS for a change! Thank you for your report.

73 de VA3WIN-Jim Omemee, Ontario CANADA

[k5co]

Well, I guess they don't have 911 there.

[kc8ycz]

Quote[/b] (N3HGB @ Dec. 30 2005,12:07)]How do you send text messages via Echolink? Is this a new thing?
Well first of all you can send text messeges to another Echolink user via the text box in the lower right hand corner, (no disrespect meant on that my wife asked the same thing). Second here is another email sent that was an update:

"Just had a LD call from the UK about James, G4WDI. He's being released from the hospital and things seem stable for the moment. He will have 24/7 in-home nursing care for awhile and frankly folks...had it not been for a super combined effort of the entire MissLynk & TIPS network, he wouldn't be with us.

What a way to start the New Year, with the response of the amateur community to quite literally save a life of a fellow ham! I talked to several members of his family this morning, and they wanted to make a donation on his behalf. I absolutely refused that, and simply expressed our pride in having been of service.

Great job, gang. This is a ham radio story you can tell the grandkids about! HOORAY FOR THE HAM SPIRIT!

73 de Steve, WA4VWV"

[k0cba]

I am happy for Jim's outcome also but I don't understand; what or where is the Amateur Radio aspect? # What band is 'echolink'...HF, VHF, all or none of the above? I wonder if such a grand thing has ever happened on Yahoo Messenger, MS Messenger or some other computer service that has nothing to do with (ham) radio communications and we just haven't heard about it?

[KE5FRF]

Quote[/b] (N3HGB @ Dec. 30 2005,11:07)]How do you send text messages via Echolink? Is this a new thing?
There is a text box on the "PC client" version of EchoLink that allows two computer users to exchange comments via text message....

For instance, I as an RF link operator, might be driving down the road with my mobile rig, ragchewing through a repeater or simplex link with someone who has accessed the repeater with their PC. This person might not have access to a repeater in their QTH, which neccessitates using the PC to use EchoLink. During our QSO, another PC user might link to the same repeater and join our converstation. While I, as a mobile user, don't have access to the computer functions of EchoLink, the two PC users can not only communicate via phone, but they can also exchange text messages to one another. Thus, the text capabilities of EchoLink.

MANY will point out that a PC to PC link is not ham radio, and I will always 100% agree with that. Personally, I don't care for sitting in front of my computer to use EchoLink. That is why I set up a simplex node. By far, the greatest number of users access EchoLink with a radio through a repeater or soundcard interface, but some people... older hams without radio capabilities, hams who live in restricted communities, handicapped people who can't erect towers, and younger hams just entering the hobby, some of these folks enjoy using the PC capabilities of EchoLink.

...Thus, the primary criticisms from those who don't like it. They say it isn't real radio. And as I said, I agree with the PC to PC aspect not being radio, but who cares? I don't think I've ever heard a PC user ask for a signal report, and I don't think there is any dillusions that they need to. Anyway, that is the explanation for the text box.

To the MissLynk folks, hats off to you!!
It is good to see another example of how people who think outside the box can get things done when the chips are down.

[ai4me]

Quote[/b] (N3HGB @ Dec. 30 2005,12:07)]How do you send text messages via Echolink? Is this a new thing?
There is a window in the lower right corner of EchoLink that allows you to send text messages "Off the air" between users who are connected via EchoLink.

This is one reason many people think that ExhoLInk is nothing more than a glorified Instant Messenger with voice capabilities. There is one major exception... it also and primarily interfaces your audio with radio links and repeaters so you also go out over the air at the node you are connected to.

I for one think EchoLink is yet another useful aspect of Amateur Radio. Its not a replacement, but just another tool to use. As we see, this can be beneficial!

Hooray for EchoLink and Amateur Radio. A life saved is well worth it!

Perhaps they do have some sort of 911 system there, but I am not familiar with how emergency services work in Great Britan. Think of it this way... perhaps it came on suddenly while he was using EchoLink and was unable to make it to a phone in time. Either way... kudos for those who assisted in saving his life!

[n9lya]

I agree in this case it was not Amateur Radio saving a life.. the Article title was well thought out and correct.. It Stated echolink saved a Life. Very True. It was NOT amateur radio saving a life.. but VoIP using two computers connected solely by a telephone.. ie Instant Messanger type system.
But it is good to hear that "IT" (Echolink) saved a fellow Amateur Radio Operators life..
I sure wish it had been Ham Radio.. But we cannot have everything...

Happy New Year...

Lets try to have positive posts .. the Auther did not try to title it Amateur Radio VIA Echolink Saves life.. OR Echolink via Amateur Radio saves life.. he titled it correctly...

And only stated in the article the following... "In the spirit of Amateur Radio.. "

We all have our opinions.. I have mine.. And I wish we were more seperated from the internet... But it does allow hams a place to congregate and have fun...

To each his own... I prefer radio... Some prefer the Internet, some prefer both... Who are we to tell them how to enjoy their free time..

73 Jerry N9LYA http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[ai4me]

Quote[/b] (k0cba @ Dec. 30 2005,12:31)]I am happy for Jim's outcome also but I don't understand; what or where is the Amateur Radio aspect? # What band is 'echolink'...HF, VHF, all or none of the above? I wonder if such a grand thing has ever happened on Yahoo Messenger, MS Messenger or some other computer service that has nothing to do with (ham) radio communications and we just haven't heard about it?
Amateur Radio has always been a tool for experimentation and leading edge technology. Lets not forget that many aspects of commercial communication began its life in Amateur Radio!

So you dont like EchoLink. To each his own. It interfaces with Amateur Radio and therefore is an aspect of Amateur Radio.

You can say that PSK31 or SSTV isnt real amateur radio because you use a computer to send pictures or messages. Well.. you can do that easier and with better quality over the internet, so how is that really Amateur Radio? (This IS NOT my view, but simply an example using the "EchoLink is not Amateur Radio" thinking)

It is an aspect, a mode, a tool. Just remember that everyone told Christopher Columbus the earth was flat! Im glad he didnt listen.

Same goes for EchoLink. EchoLink is thinking outside the box, an essential process that allows for the advancement of communications.

Perhaps its not the best mode to involve Amateur Radio in the traditional sense, but tradition never invented anything. It was the forward thinkers, the outide the box people, the people who ask "What else can we do!"

Put it this way... would you say "Why do we need to invent the automobile when my horse gets me back and forth to the store just fine"

[KE5FRF]

Quote[/b] (k0cba @ Dec. 30 2005,11:31)]I am happy for Jim's outcome also but I don't understand; what or where is the Amateur Radio aspect? # What band is 'echolink'...HF, VHF, all or none of the above? I wonder if such a grand thing has ever happened on Yahoo Messenger, MS Messenger or some other computer service that has nothing to do with (ham) radio communications and we just haven't heard about it?
I am sure kc8ycz will expand on this, but I'll put in my 2 cents...I hope you don't mind, Mr. Rapson. Do you go be Reginald or Reggie?

First off, you already know the answers about EchoLink, but here it is, real slow, so everyone gets it...

EchoLink can be used on any band or any frequency that amateur radio license permits, HF, VHF, UHF, SHF. The very nature of HF is great self propogation via ionosphere, so very few amateurs connect EchoLink to HF. I have seen some links for SWL, but the transmit is disabled. I have also seen some HF licensed hams interface their HF rig, as a control operator, to allow licensed PC users to access their HF rig, just for the fun of it. But 99% of the EchoLink RF nodes are 2meter/6meter/or 70cm. So, you ask what band is EchoLink...it can be whatever band or frequency the control operator wishes.

Now, WE ALL know that a text message over the system isn't radio. Nobody would make that claim. But guess what, if a bunch of people are ragchewing, some from radios, some from PCs, or whatever, and the guy on the PC end has a health trauma, and all he can get out is HELP....what difference does it make if it was a PC text message? If the emergency is brought to the attention of somebody, and that person happens to be a ham, and that information can be transmitted via radio, and phone calls can be made, what the hell difference does it make? A like was saved by amateur radio operators, plain and simple. Sure, the same kind of thing has most certainly happened with AOL, Yahoo, ICQ, whatever, and it wasn't much different, but, so has the case that an amateur might be PMing through Yahoo, happen to get an emergency text, turns on his radio, and makes a call for help. What is the difference? The point is, amateur radio operators, participating in an EchoLink net, which includes RF repeaters and simplex links, got an emergency message and acted on it, with good results.

Is this something to nitpick and be critical of?

[ai4me]

Quote[/b] (n9lya @ Dec. 30 2005,12:50)]Lets try to have positive posts .. the Auther did not try to title it Amateur Radio VIA Echolink Saves life.. OR Echolink via Amateur Radio saves life.. he titled it correctly...

And only stated in the article the following... "In the spirit of Amateur Radio.. "
Excellent excellent excellent comment!

You hit the nail on the head there. This should not be a renewed argument on the validity of EchoLink.

It is simply Amateurs helping (and saving) each other. In this case it happened to be using EchoLink.

[n9lya]

Quote[/b] (KE5FRF @ Dec. 30 2005,04:54)]Quote[/b] (k0cba @ Dec. 30 2005,11:31)]I am happy for Jim's outcome also but I don't understand; what or where is the Amateur Radio aspect? # What band is 'echolink'...HF, VHF, all or none of the above? I wonder if such a grand thing has ever happened on Yahoo Messenger, MS Messenger or some other computer service that has nothing to do with (ham) radio communications and we just haven't heard about it?
I am sure kc8ycz will expand on this, but I'll put in my 2 cents...I hope you don't mind, Mr. Rapson. Do you go be Reginald or Reggie?

First off, you already know the answers about EchoLink, but here it is, real slow, so everyone gets it...

EchoLink can be used on any band or any frequency that amateur radio license permits, HF, VHF, UHF, SHF. The very nature of HF is great self propogation via ionosphere, so very few amateurs connect EchoLink to HF. I have seen some links for SWL, but the transmit is disabled. I have also seen some HF licensed hams interface their HF rig, as a control operator, to allow licensed PC users to access their HF rig, just for the fun of it. But 99% of the EchoLink RF nodes are 2meter/6meter/or 70cm. So, you ask what band is EchoLink...it can be whatever band or frequency the control operator wishes.

Now, WE ALL know that a text message over the system isn't radio. Nobody would make that claim. But guess what, if a bunch of people are ragchewing, some from radios, some from PCs, or whatever, and the guy on the PC end has a health trauma, and all he can get out is HELP....what difference does it make if it was a PC text message? If the emergency is brought to the attention of somebody, and that person happens to be a ham, and that information can be transmitted via radio, and phone calls can be made, what the hell difference does it make? A like was saved by amateur radio operators, plain and simple. Sure, the same kind of thing has most certainly happened with AOL, Yahoo, ICQ, whatever, and it wasn't much different, but, so has the case that an amateur might be PMing through Yahoo, happen to get an emergency text, turns on his radio, and makes a call for help. What is the difference? The point is, amateur radio operators, participating in an EchoLink net, which includes RF repeaters and simplex links, got an emergency message and acted on it, with good results.

Is this something to nitpick and be critical of?
Well Said.. I have heard about Hams Saving lives using a CellPhone.. Not much glory in that, from an RF Stand Point... But it was a Ham Saving a life.. That has to count for something... And I am sure both the Ham and the Person whose life was saved.. Were glowing with Glory...

I am not Pro echolink... I have used it.. (I prefer Radios.. But lets not attack each other over it...) It helped me stay in contact with a friend who was elderly and near death.. We conversed until he was SK... or in this case SPC.. But posting the post the way it was posted... Should not be damned by Hams that Hate echolink... #Come on its that time of year we should all try to get along.. Be glad a life was saved..

When was the last time you saved a life as a Ham or a fellow human being...Do Non-Hams not save lives every day??

Remember life is too short... To spend it all here on QRZ fighting and arguing... If One group likes echolink and another does not... How much do you think one side cares what the other side thinks???

Smile...

happy New year.


73 Jerry N9LYA

[w5jck]

I'm happy that the guy is okay, regardless of who helped him or how he was helped. His life and safety are the most important issue in this dialog.

However, I would like to state that although I certainly prefer RF communication, Echolink does have its place and purpose among Amateur Radio. I look at it as another digital tool. I know several Storm Watcher groups who use it to reliably conduct training sessions. Although the training sessions are primarily RF via local 2m and 70cm repeaters, folks from all over the US (and world) can participate via an Echolink connection. In this way, folks who live in areas without adequately trained Storm Watcher instructors can still get instruction and advice. This is just one example out of many where Echolink has a positive impact on Amateur Radio.

73, Jack, ke5fem

[kc4gs]

I wonder how much faster the responce would have been if he had called direct himself, or had used an autodialer preprogrammed with a request for emergency help?http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif I am sure they have such, but he might have had his phone tried up for the internet connection. People with health problems should look to solve the problems with getting help, before they start doing other things.
I am a ham, a member of a local VFD, and our group often saves lives, but we get little or no fanfare about it. We don't need it, and that is not our purpose. IMHO, echolink and other such items are just an extension of the internet, not true ham radio.

[N3HGB]

I really wasn't trying to insult anyone. I honestly had no idea that Echolink could send text messages.

[K0RGR]

Well, obviously, I'm an EchoLink booster, and I too, discourage the PC-to-PC use of it, because I think that defeats its purpose. But, in this case, it looks like we might have had a tragedy if the TEXT capability hadn't been there too!

I know I've had a couple of occasions where I've had people suddenly stop sending in the middle of a QSO and it's resulted in a phone call to see if they are OK. I wonder if I would have bothered to go to the trouble of figuring out how to call someone in England on the mere suspicion of a problem, knowing that there are about a million other possibilities, too. And would he have been able to answer the phone if I had?

Instead of railing against EchoLink, why don't you guys figure out how to duplicate its capabiliities using RF?
EchoLink would work great over D-STAR or any other high-speed IP network. All we need is everybody to kick in some money so we can get some geo-synchronous birds up and we'd be in business - no more Internet, and everyone's happy, right?

I don't see anybody opening their wallets...

[kc8ycz]

Quote[/b] (N3HGB @ Dec. 30 2005,13:43)]I really wasn't trying to insult anyone. I honestly had no idea that Echolink could send text messages.
I know you were not trying to insult anyone. I cant be rude about it lol my wife asked the same thing. As I type this I think to myself what if that were me. Would I be able to reach the phone, would I be able to reach the computer. Who knows, all I know is that when I am in need of emergency help, I will take it anyway I can get it. From Echolink, ham radio, cell phone, land based phone, neighbor, child, wife or the good lord himself it dont matter to me as long as the help is there.

Oh yeah and by the way after some thinking I should have titled it... ECHOLINK AND HAM RADIO OPERATORS SAVE A LIFE!!!!!!

That's my 2 cents worth like it or not
73
Reggie

[kf6rdn]

I just realized a couple days ago, that I CAN check into my club's net while I am stuck at work.. I can put Echolink on my system at home and on my laptop and "git 'r done"!

[n9lya]

Quote[/b] (K0RGR @ Dec. 30 2005,06:03)]Well, obviously, I'm an EchoLink booster, and I too, discourage the PC-to-PC use of it, because I think that defeats its purpose. But, in this case, it looks like we might have had a tragedy if the TEXT capability hadn't been there too!

I know I've had a couple of occasions where I've had people suddenly stop sending in the middle of a QSO and it's resulted in a phone call to see if they are OK. I wonder if I would have bothered to go to the trouble of figuring out how to call someone in England on the mere suspicion of a problem, knowing that there are about a million other possibilities, too. And would he have been able to answer the phone if I had?

Instead of railing against EchoLink, why don't you guys figure out how to duplicate its capabiliities using RF?
EchoLink would work great over D-STAR or any other high-speed IP network. All we need is everybody to kick in some money so we can get some geo-synchronous birds up and #we'd be in business - no more Internet, and everyone's happy, right?

I don't see anybody opening their wallets...
Count me in... I would be glad to heavily help financially support such a project...

Be it nationwide WiFi for HAMS or that and a combination of satelites... and other RF linking of repeaters and other Ham Stations.. We could make our own Worldwide Network and still get to use our PC's over the AIR..

But there is the diversity thing again.. Someone always somewhere would want to marry it to the internet instead of buying or building the RF link.. (No slam inteneded) #I see a lot of this in the area of #Packet Radio... Either we would have to be rude and make it our way or noway or be flexable and incorporate some internet connectibity, as rude is not my idea of cooperation... Or fun.

JUST FYI We have a string of repeaters from Indy to Kentucky that are all RF linked.. I live in Mitchell IN I can use my HT in my house to get on the local 440 repeater and talk to a guy in Indy on his HT while he is sitting in his home as he is on his local 440 repeater.... All via RF. www.w9win.org
Lets see if this were expanded on

JUST FYI... Repeater linking has been around a while..

not trying to flame or argue.. just FYI... #

Lets keep the posts comming in...

73 jerry n9lya

[w5jck]

Quote[/b] (N3HGB @ Dec. 30 2005,10:43)]I really wasn't trying to insult anyone. #I honestly had no idea that Echolink could send text messages.
I doubt anyone was insulted, and if they were, to heck with them....

Amateur Radio is SUPPOSED to be about Elmers teaching us less knowledgeable HAMs what they know. Unfortunately, there is a large group of HAMs that qualify as Elmers but do little more than moan and groan that Amateur Radio is so different than when they started. They have gotten stuck on the idea that it is so much easier to get a license today than when they did. They take great pleasure in bad-mouthing anything new and different. Quite frankly, I think they are nothing but grumpy old geasers with nothing better to do than criticize everyone else. They just want to be old, stick-n-the-mud, curmudgeons. I personally believe that Amateur Radio does, and should, encompass much much more than tapping out CW on HF!!! Amateur Radio should continuously challenge us with new technologies, otherwise we will all turn into old curmudgeons. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[KC9HZJ]

As the station who intercepted the emergency call via RF and called the hospital in Launceston, Cornwall UK, let me add that the emergency call was heard and answered via RF. I am so happy that this post has turned into a debate about whether or not Echolink is ham radio... Back to the point....

I was sitting upstairs and heard a distress call come over the air. I ran downstairs to the RADIO and answered it. Whether it had been over a text box or on HF, you better believe it would have been answered. Helping out fellow amateurs is what it's all about. I am happy to have been a part of the situation. I am also very, very happy to hear that he is all right. That makes the entire situation worth it.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery, James! Whether or not Echolink is ham radio or not, I am proud to have helped you.

73 de KC9HZJ

[n9lya]

Quote[/b] (KC9HZJ @ Dec. 30 2005,06:42)]As the station who intercepted the emergency call via RF and called the hospital in Launceston, Cornwall UK, let me add that the emergency call was heard and answered via RF. I am so happy that this post has turned into a debate about whether or not Echolink is ham radio... Back to the point....

I was sitting upstairs and heard a distress call come over the air. I ran downstairs to the RADIO and answered it. Whether it had been over a text box or on HF, you better believe it would have been answered. Helping out fellow amateurs is what it's all about. I am happy to have been a part of the situation. I am also very, very happy to hear that he is all right. That makes the entire situation worth it.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery, James! Whether or not Echolink is ham radio or not, I am proud to have helped you.

73 de KC9HZJ
Hi.. My Point was simply regardless of how or who saved the life.. the Life was saved and it merited posting... Regardless of how anyone feels about echolink and or what it is... Should have been a moot point in the entire thread...

There wa snot one thing in the original post asking for anyone to start a debate about echolinks validity regardless of how anyone felt...

A life was saved.. we should have been just happy with that.. but no.. Everyone wants to bite someone elses leg off.. Lets all just be happy we have this Hobby however we enjoy it or regardless of our take on Echolink.. Pro or Con or just not concerned..

Heck I like Packet Radio.. not all hams do.. Some hate it.. I have a friend.. and Everytime I mention packet he says something that sounds a lot like.. "Oh no not that CR*P again." I do not let that bother me we laugh it off.. He Hates packet with a passion.. We still get along and have a great time with Ham Radio.. The Local CLub I belong to use to have a worldclass Packet Station W9QYQ.. So many would complain about it.. As SYSOP I shut er down.. I Should not have let them get to me.. it was somethinG I was supporting at the club site.. Both with time and personal finances at this point as the club said months before no more funding.. it will cease to exisit when the last radio goes off air.. I Decided to keep it going myself .. Then finally gave in to pressure.. Shut ur down and rebuilt at Home.. (saved me a lot of Gas and time making trips to SYSOP the Station at the club.. ) Now I have a multiport HF and VHF UHF BBS at home.. I do not need anyone elses approval on how I enjoy ham radio.. and Regardless of your take on if it is HAm Radio or not... It is something HAMS do... Like I said I am not Pro Echolink... I am Not against it either..But may get back to it after a few years away and see if it has anything to offer me that I find interesting and new..

Lets all get along and prove we are a Brotherhood and not a bunch of demons spreading hate and discontent...

73 jerry n9lya

www.w9otr.org


by the way anyone intersted we are planning on Linking BBS forwarding via Q15X25 Using MixW and any BBS Software.. Like MSYS.. We have a write up on the net.. if anyone is interested I will send you that link.. PM me here...
We will start out with simple Qso's via Q15x25 and go from there.. We have sucessfully sent files to each other and it seems quite fast... We have had a station link MixW to a MSYS box and have it have MixW as a super Q15x25 TNC linked via nulmodem cable to MSYS..


73 Jerry

[KQ6XA]

Echolink is Ham Radio.
Echolink is ham radio, just as much as using a phone patch.
Echolink is ham radio, just as much as passing a message through the message-handling nets.
Echolink is just as much ham radio as repeaters are. After all, repeaters have audio and control paths that are not RF!
Echolink is just as much ham radio as the super repeater links are.
Echolink is ham radio just as much as using a CW key to send morse... after all, the signal from the key to the RF transmitter is not RF.
The Dayton Hamvention is ham radio, your local club meetings are ham radio, and this QRZ.COM website is ham radio.
Echolink is ham radio just as much as the ham who sits at the workbench and homebrews a transmitter but never talks on the air with it.

Echolink is getting hundreds of hams on ham radio who might not be able to otherwise. Echolink is doing more for those hams who can't put up an antenna at their home, than the lone ham is sitting at a microphone or key.

Anytime and any way amateur radio operators get together, it is ham radio.

Would James G4WDI have survived if he had tried to send that "Help!" message through the CW message-handling nets, instead of through ham radio's Echolink?
We may never know.

One thing we do know: G4WDI gets to enjoy ham radio in 2006 because of ham radio operators using Echolink. For that, we must commend the ham operators who sprung into action.

[KB3MVP]

I agree that everyone has his own opinion. Some may like Echolink, some may question the validity it has that it may be considered "amateur radio." It is necessary for me to use Echolink for 28 out of 30 contacts for my project. I do not own, nor do I have the money to own, a rig. By using the computer, which nearly many people (especially in the United States) own, they may talk to others around the world. Anyway, isn't part of the code of Amateur Radio to "promote goodwill" around the globe? Doesn't Echolink help to serve that part? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

Also, I have a question: How do you contact the police or ambulance for someone else during a crisis if they live in another town, state, or even country? Do you dial 911 and tell them that there's another emergency elsewhere?
It has me a little confused, since I'm new to ham radio.

[KE5FRF]

Quote[/b] (KQ6XA @ Dec. 30 2005,15:09)]Echolink is Ham Radio.
Echolink is ham radio, just as much as using a phone patch.
Echolink is ham radio, just as much as passing a message through the message-handling nets.
Echolink is just as much ham radio as repeaters are. After all, repeaters have audio and control paths that are not RF!
Echolink is just as much ham radio as the super repeater links are.
Echolink is ham radio just as much as using a CW key to send morse... after all, the signal from the key to the RF transmitter is not RF.
The Dayton Hamvention is ham radio, your local club meetings are ham radio, and this QRZ.COM website is ham radio.
Echolink is ham radio just as much as the ham who sits at the workbench and homebrews a transmitter but never talks on the air with it.

Echolink is getting hundreds of hams on ham radio who might not be able to otherwise. Echolink is doing more for those hams who can't put up an antenna at their home, than the lone ham is sitting at a microphone or key.

Anytime and any way amateur radio operators get together, it is ham radio.

Would James G4WDI have survived if he had tried to send that "Help!" message through the CW message-handling nets, instead of through ham radio's Echolink?
We may never know.

One thing we do know: G4WDI gets to enjoy ham radio in 2006 because of ham radio operators using Echolink. For that, we must commend the ham operators who sprung into action.
Bravo!!!

[K0RGR]

Quote[/b] (KB3MVP @ Dec. 30 2005,13:57)]I agree that everyone has his own opinion. Some may like Echolink, some may question the validity it has that it may be considered "amateur radio." It is necessary for me to use Echolink for 28 out of 30 contacts for my project. I do not own, nor do I have the money to own, a rig. By using the computer, which nearly many people (especially in the United States) own, they may talk to others around the world. Anyway, isn't part of the code of Amateur Radio to "promote goodwill" around the globe? Doesn't Echolink help to serve that part? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

Also, I have a question: How do you contact the police or ambulance for someone else during a crisis if they live in another town, state, or even country? Do you dial 911 and tell them that there's another emergency elsewhere?
It has me a little confused, since I'm new to ham radio.
I've had to do this in the past, when people I was 'talking' to suddenly stopped sending for some reason, and it didn't appear to be equipment failure or band conditions. The cases I remember were long before the advent of the Internet. Back then, they published a hardcopy callbook several times a year , and if you were lucky, you had a fairly current one. I looked up the other guy in both cases, and called information for a phone number. In the cases where I did it, it turned out OK, but my dad had a case where the guy was having a problem, many years ago, I believe, which was why I did what I did. These days, with very cheap long-distance, it's a shame not to call if you suspect a problem. I think it's 10-10-987 for cheap overseas calls like 10-10-220 is domestically (sorry if that's a plug for somebody's unfavorite phone company, but it works for me).

Long distance information will cost more than the phone call , but you can find online telephone books for just about everywhere with Google.

[W5HTW]

Quote[/b] (n9lya @ Dec. 30 2005,10:06)]Quote[/b] (KE5FRF @ Dec. 30 2005,04:54)]Quote[/b] (k0cba @ Dec. 30 2005,11:31)]I am happy for Jim's outcome also but I don't understand; what or where is the Amateur Radio aspect? What band is 'echolink'...HF, VHF, all or none of the above? I wonder if such a grand thing has ever happened on Yahoo Messenger, MS Messenger or some other computer service that has nothing to do with (ham) radio communications and we just haven't heard about it?
I am sure kc8ycz will expand on this, but I'll put in my 2 cents...I hope you don't mind, Mr. Rapson. Do you go be Reginald or Reggie?

First off, you already know the answers about EchoLink, but here it is, real slow, so everyone gets it...

EchoLink can be used on any band or any frequency that amateur radio license permits, HF, VHF, UHF, SHF. The very nature of HF is great self propogation via ionosphere, so very few amateurs connect EchoLink to HF. I have seen some links for SWL, but the transmit is disabled. I have also seen some HF licensed hams interface their HF rig, as a control operator, to allow licensed PC users to access their HF rig, just for the fun of it. But 99% of the EchoLink RF nodes are 2meter/6meter/or 70cm. So, you ask what band is EchoLink...it can be whatever band or frequency the control operator wishes.

Now, WE ALL know that a text message over the system isn't radio. Nobody would make that claim. But guess what, if a bunch of people are ragchewing, some from radios, some from PCs, or whatever, and the guy on the PC end has a health trauma, and all he can get out is HELP....what difference does it make if it was a PC text message? If the emergency is brought to the attention of somebody, and that person happens to be a ham, and that information can be transmitted via radio, and phone calls can be made, what the hell difference does it make? A like was saved by amateur radio operators, plain and simple. Sure, the same kind of thing has most certainly happened with AOL, Yahoo, ICQ, whatever, and it wasn't much different, but, so has the case that an amateur might be PMing through Yahoo, happen to get an emergency text, turns on his radio, and makes a call for help. What is the difference? The point is, amateur radio operators, participating in an EchoLink net, which includes RF repeaters and simplex links, got an emergency message and acted on it, with good results.

Is this something to nitpick and be critical of?
Well Said.. I have heard about Hams Saving lives using a CellPhone.. Not much glory in that, from an RF Stand Point... But it was a Ham Saving a life.. That has to count for something... And I am sure both the Ham and the Person whose life was saved.. Were glowing with Glory...

I am not Pro echolink... I have used it.. (I prefer Radios.. But lets not attack each other over it...) It helped me stay in contact with a friend who was elderly and near death.. We conversed until he was SK... or in this case SPC.. But posting the post the way it was posted... Should not be damned by Hams that Hate echolink... Come on its that time of year we should all try to get along.. Be glad a life was saved..

When was the last time you saved a life as a Ham or a fellow human being...Do Non-Hams not save lives every day??

Remember life is too short... To spend it all here on QRZ fighting and arguing... If One group likes echolink and another does not... How much do you think one side cares what the other side thinks???

Smile...

happy New year.


73 Jerry N9LYA
And I have even heard of NON-hams saving a life by cell phone! Wow!

I agree, though. This article was not titled in any way that related it to ham radio. I have no reservations about the article as it was presented, that someone (several, in fact) saved a life by communicating.

As to ham radio, if that were the subject, there have been many lives saved, some by local VHF radio use, and some by HF (such as on the Maritime Net.) Both hams and non-hams save lives, and that's a good thing. I hope someone is around to save mine when the need arises. Don't care if it's by ham radio or cell phone, but I really hope it is by the fastest means, which would probably be by dialing 911.

No objections here to the article.

Ed

[wb4jb]

The Sky IS blue

[n7okl]

Quote[/b] (wb4jb @ Dec. 30 2005,16:41)]The Sky IS blue
No it is not...

It is grey......

And has liquid falling from it.....



Sorry....could not resist......

Mel
N7OKL

[n7okl]

Quote[/b] (KB3MVP @ Dec. 30 2005,13:57)]Also, I have a question: How do you contact the police or ambulance for someone else during a crisis if they live in another town, state, or even country? Do you dial 911 and tell them that there's another emergency elsewhere?
It has me a little confused, since I'm new to ham radio.
A method that I have used many times for emergency calls in the US.....

I call the operator and advise that I have an emergency message for police in town X in state Y....

They will find a number, conect, and usualy listen for a short time to verify and no charge on your bill.....

Have also gone through the local 911 center for calls within the state....get transfered to the State Patrol, then to the local 911 center that I need to talk to..again, no charge

Mel
N7OKL

[wb4jb]

Yea I understand. Use to be in 7 land and kl7 land. but just had to do that to see the responses. Seems like you get blasted here no matter what you say. Watch someone turn this into a cw platform. BTW I think CW should not be tested. There I said it. I deserve to say it as I have been around and licensed for 45 years since I was 12. AND yes I have always been a CW guy but who cares?? I have been on Echolink as well. I just dont care for it. Good old RF for me but again, who cares? My cousin loves echolink and he has been licensed much longer than me. Each to his own. I cannot believe it came down to this bickering about echolink not being Ham Radio instead "BRAVO" you saved a life!

[k5co]

Wow. Hams are so terribly desperate for attention and some credit. But, sorry: this was a telephone call. Time to get used to that.

If it's radio, then it's radio. If it is over the telephone, then it's a phone call. Why act like it's something different?

[wb5yiw]

Quote[/b] (n9lya @ Dec. 30 2005,06:14)]There was not one thing in the original post asking for anyone to start a debate about echolinks validity regardless of how anyone felt...
Seems that there is a group of people here that would debate the color of .......tree bark. Wouldn't matter what you posted, someone would take issue with it.

To the person who sent the original "help"...I'm very glad you got the help you needed.

To those who helped him...I say THREE CHEERS!!!

I don't care if you used the internet, radio or smoke signals...you did good!

73's

Bryan

[k1lwi]

that is good news #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[wb5yiw]

Quote[/b] (n7okl @ Dec. 30 2005,10:59)]Quote[/b] (wb4jb @ Dec. 30 2005,16:41)]The Sky IS blue
No it is not...

It is grey......

And has liquid falling from it.....



Sorry....could not resist......

Mel
N7OKL
Hey...that's grAy[B][I] in the common American spelling.


Sorry...just kidding. Your post made me laugh, thought I'd join in the spirit.

73's

Bryan

[wb5yiw]

Quote[/b] (K0RGR @ Dec. 30 2005,08:59)]These days, with very cheap long-distance, it's a shame not to call if you suspect a problem. I think it's 10-10-987 for cheap overseas calls like 10-10-220 is domestically (sorry if that's a plug for somebody's unfavorite phone company, but it works for me).

Long distance information will cost more than the phone call , but you can find online telephone books for just about everywhere with Google.
I'm going to mention the dreaded cell phone here, but most (I said most, not all, so don't get started) plans have unlimited nationwide long distance included. All it uses is a few minutes of your plan. If it saves someone's life, the thing has finally earned its' keep.

[K4RGR]

I.m 58 and have been a ham for 45 years. #If you have seniority, I'll respect your comment. #As for you others - GET A GRIP. #

A life was saved through the miracle of our technology. #No it wasn't 15 Meter CW!!! #WHO CARES. #Let's recognize the accomplishment and quit arguing about the mode.

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

[KC9HZJ]

Just a quick answer to the question about calling for help internationally by phone.

Using your home telephone (since most cell phones don't allow int'l calling), dial 011 - that's the prefix for international dialing from the USA. Then the country code, for calls to the UK, it's 44. Then dial the city code and number you want. Country codes can be found in the front of most phone books.

International emergency calls are probably not the easiest calls to make because you have to have a specific number to call. Each country has their own emergency number (911 in USA, 999 in UK), but they can't be dialed from outside their respective countries. The internet is a wonderful tool for finding local emergency numbers should the need arise, assuming you know where the other person is located exactly.

73 de KC9HZJ

[kg4kww]

Way to go gang on the wonderful job you did in saving a life using EchoLink. This proves that EchoLink is more than just for rag chewing, it's also a viable mode of communication for different situations. I hope that the Amateur Radio Community will finally embrace EchoLink as another mode of Amateur Communications. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[W0GI]

Quote[/b] (KE5FEM @ Dec. 30 2005,11:38)]Quite frankly, I think they are nothing but grumpy old geasers with nothing better to do than criticize everyone else.
Hey, who are you calling a grumpy old geaser?

I personaly think that it is great that there was a emergency that was helped by Echolink.

I don't know why anyone has a problem with a system that connects you to ham repeators all over the world. It doesn't replace HF, and isn't a threat to anything. What is the problem? I have used it to setup HF communications with far away hams. It is really a great addition to the hobby.

I have been a ham for over 30 years, and I love CW, but I also like Echolink, and using packet on 2 meters to receive DX cluster info. It's all part of the game.

So remember, not all geasers are what you think they are.

Now to bum you out, I am for keeping 5 wpm for HF licensing. Not going to happen, but I am still for it. If it wasn't part of the license when I got it, I would not have been introduced to a mode that works in tough conditions, when the other modes don't. And it is just plain fun.

All I can say, is I don't know why any Ham that hates Echolink so much, is lowering themselves to even post on this internet forum. Do it on the radio, if that is all you think is important.

Hey people like to gripe, it is a normal illness.

73 - Bob

[AD7BK]

Quote[/b] (wb4jb @ Dec. 30 2005,16:41)]The Sky IS blue
Why is the sky blue?
I thought the sky was invisable, the sun makes it blue and sometimes it can be red white gray pink green yellow black with lil specs and sometimes it can flash. And sometimes the sky is mean,

Oh let me think a moment here. Dont all this boil down to "People save people"

Thats the bottom line.

[KI6ADA]

Great news, Echolink should be introduced to the younger generation. My interests include IRLP. I am only limited to the two meter repeater in my county. The repeater is being used for emergency communications during bad weather. If I had access to 440(.70cm), I would enjoy IRLP. Hats off to the operators for paying attention to the message board. If it was a internet chat room, the person could not receive any further assistance. Amateur Radio will continue to accept the computer and IRLP as a regular tool in communications, kind of like PSK and Packet,digital SSTV and RTTY. 73 to all and Have a Happy New Year.

[W0GI]

Quote[/b] (ai4cb @ Dec. 31 2005,02:39)]Quote[/b] ]It took several folks on MissLynk to assist and gents from Indiana, Arizona and Washington

Gee whiz guys. That's at least six people (unless you're double-counting someone) to make one phone call on behalf of one #guy! #Not sure I understand - would it have taken more or less Echolink nodes to do this without the missing-link system?

What happens if there's a major disaster? Seems like if it takes six Echolink people for each person who needs help, you're quickly going to overload the internet and prevent anyone from getting any help.
Here we go....

Another drawn out debate on Echolink.

How many folks does it take to dial 911? Less then six?

If you are unable to get out of bed, how many hamsters would it take to load your washing machine? Now that's what I need to know.

The guy had an emergency, and some hams helped out.

And yet somehow they have to justify the act, because someone thinks Echolink sucks?

Thank God for this forum. Otherwise, I might not get my daily humor.

:>) W6NJ

[kd4mxe]

Quote[/b] (ai4cb @ Dec. 31 2005,05:10)]Quote[/b] (W6NJ @ Dec. 31 2005,05:23)]And yet somehow they have to justify the act, because someone thinks Echolink sucks?
No. #First of all, I did not say that echolink sucks. My concern is that it is not at all clear what really happened here and why it took so many people. #If things really are as have been described, then I see something entirely different than a situation that should be praised. Rather, it's evidence that something is broken, needs to be examined, and fixed.

If there really was a life-threatening situation, wouldn't it far be better to require only 1 or 2 #people to get the job done, rather than the 5 or 6 that apparently were needed here?

Why did Echolink require at least six people (seven if you count the original call for help) to respond to one emergency call?

It's a fair question that should be asked. If they can figure out how to use fewer than six people per victim, then it will be more efficient and more reliable, right?
ai4cb-sir if it had Been you that needed help it would not matterd if it had Been 10 people that did it , you would have Been glad they could do it 73 Bill

[w8zii]

I am frequently connected to this intertie (sic), but I was not during this particular instance; in fact, this is the first I've heard of it. The first thing that I do have to say is you, my friends, have a +1 in my book, and I'm glad to know the lot of you.

I do have one question directed to AI4CB, with all due respect: how many contact methods to hospitals and emergency agencies in other countries--or other states, for that matter--do you have memorized, or even written down? Again, I may not have been around during this, but this hardly seems like a local affair for most of us, and a little bit of coordination may be required to find the correct data--where the person is, how to find help for him/her, et cetera. Besides, I would consider it relatively safe to say that if I heard an emergency call while monitoring a QSO, I would offer every bit of assistance I could, instead of sitting on my thumbs and just hoping someone else would just take care of it.

Again, I am not trying to slag you, or anyone else, off. In the end, everything I say regarding this is moot. The single thing that matters is that that gentleman is around to ragchew another day, despite who helped ensure it, or how many, or how.

James may not have needed the help of five or six people, but he got it. The fact that that many people cared to help him is a testament to them.

[kd4mxe]

Quote[/b] (ai4cb @ Dec. 31 2005,06:46)]Quote[/b] (kd4mxe @ Dec. 31 2005,08:23)]ai4cb-sir #if it had Been you that needed help it would not matterd if it had Been 10 people that did it , you would have Been glad they could do it 73 Bill
Again, we don't know why it took so many people. It shouldn't take a global operation to make a 999 call.

If it were you and it took 6 or 10 people, would you be glad? Think about it:

* If it was the case that the first 5 or 9 passed the buck until they finally found someone willing enough and had enough sense to take action - then we should be very troubled.

* If it were the case that for some reason 5 or 9 hams were "involved" who were unable to accomplish a relatively simple communication task - then we should be very troubled about that, too.
ai4cb- well sir I am sure some learned from this and next time it could only take one to do the job ,and that would Be good to ,But if it had Been me at the time I would have Been glad if 15 could do it , there is always Room for improvement,and I am sure they learned something from this,73hope you have a good new year Bill

[k4rjj]

Quote[/b] (n9lya @ Dec. 30 2005,09:50)]...Lets try to have positive posts ...

73 Jerry N9LYA http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
You should practice what you preach. Echolink IS a function of Amateur radio whether you personally want to recognise it is or not. If it was not I'm sure the powers that be would have shut it down long ago.

If this sounds negative I am sorry but it just irks me when people want to pose their opinon as fact and have nothing to back it up. Echolink, IRLP and the rest are being used as links for ARES and other systems out there and are doing so in a much more efficient manner than in the past.

Happy new year! May the new year smile on all!

[W5HTW]

Quote[/b] (KQ6XA @ Dec. 30 2005,13:09)]Echolink is Ham Radio.
Echolink is ham radio, just as much as using a phone patch.
Echolink is ham radio, just as much as passing a message through the message-handling nets.
Echolink is just as much ham radio as repeaters are. After all, repeaters have audio and control paths that are not RF!
Echolink is just as much ham radio as the super repeater links are.
Echolink is ham radio just as much as using a CW key to send morse... after all, the signal from the key to the RF transmitter is not RF.
The Dayton Hamvention is ham radio, your local club meetings are ham radio, and this QRZ.COM website is ham radio.
Echolink is ham radio just as much as the ham who sits at t ...
Continuing with this theme..

Cell phones are ham radio because we can talk about ham radio on them.
Land line phones are ham radio because we can talk about ham radio on them.
Newspapers are ham radio because we have classified ads in them selling ham radio equipment
CB, FRS, GMRS, marine radio are all ham radio as we can talk about ham radio using them.
Pen and paper are ham radio, as are typewriters, because we can use them to write about ham radio.
So are messenger pigeons, in fact.

Seems to me everyone on the planet is a ham, since he or she can communicate with someone else (even with drums in the jungle, huh?) and could discuss ham radio. Therefore our numbers are not declining at all, but are in the 6 billion plus category, and expanding rapidly. Ham radio is alive and well.

Ed

[k4rjj]

Quote[/b] (KE5FEM @ Dec. 30 2005,11:38)][
I doubt anyone was insulted, and if they were, to heck with them....

Amateur Radio is SUPPOSED to be about Elmers teaching us less knowledgeable HAMs what they know. Unfortunately, there is a large group of HAMs that qualify as Elmers but do little more than moan and groan that Amateur Radio is so different than when they started. They have gotten stuck on the idea that it is so much easier to get a license today than when they did. They take great pleasure in bad-mouthing anything new and different. Quite frankly, I think they are nothing but grumpy old geasers with nothing better to do than criticize everyone else. They just want to be old, stick-n-the-mud, curmudgeons. I personally believe that Amateur Radio does, and should, encompass much much more than tapping out CW on HF!!! Amateur Radio should continuously challenge us with new technologies, otherwise we will all turn into old curmudgeons. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
I see them all the time. I also know of a few that still care and embrace new technology. They help me tune an old MASTR II into a repeater and I help them with newer computer work.

This is exactly right for some of these guys. It's a shame to...

[wj9j]

Quote[/b] (KQ6XA @ Dec. 30 2005,13:09)]Echolink is Ham Radio.
Echolink is ham radio, just as much as using a phone patch.
Echolink is ham radio, just as much as passing a message through the message-handling nets.
Echolink is just as much ham radio as repeaters are. After all, repeaters have audio and control paths that are not RF!
Echolink is just as much ham radio as the super repeater links are.
Echolink is ham radio just as much as using a CW key to send morse... after all, the signal from the key to the RF transmitter is not RF.
The Dayton Hamvention is ham radio, your local club meetings are ham radio, and this QRZ.COM website is ham radio.
Echolink is ham radio just as much as the ham who sits at the workbench and homebrews a transmitter but never talks on the air with it.

Echolink is getting hundreds of hams on ham radio who might not be able to otherwise. Echolink is doing more for those hams who can't put up an antenna at their home, than the lone ham is sitting at a microphone or key.

Anytime and any way amateur radio operators get together, it is ham radio.

Would James G4WDI have survived if he had tried to send that "Help!" message through the CW message-handling nets, instead of through ham radio's Echolink?
We may never know.

One thing we do know: G4WDI gets to enjoy ham radio in 2006 because of ham radio operators using Echolink. For that, we must commend the ham operators who sprung into action.
Echolink when over radio using ham bands is ham radio

Phone patches when over radio using ham bands is ham radio

Message traffic when over the ham bands is ham radio

Ham radio repeaters and RF links are ham radio because parts of the path are RADIO using ham bands

The Dayton Hamvention is NOT ham RADIO. It IS ham RELATED

QRZ Website is NOT ham radio communication. It is ham's communicating, but NOT by radio.

Home brewing a transmitter is not Ham radio, until he makes a contact with it.

I'm not against any of these things. Ham radio is more than the definition of two hams talking. Ham communications can be face to face, RF or any thing in between. Ham radio communication is hams communicating on the radio.

Hope that helps define it. Call some of this communication ham related or ham communication, but if not by Amateur Radio Frequencies, that's all it is. (That's not a bad thing though) http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[M3KCK]

Well done to All who Helped save the Life of a Fellow Cornishman!

I am no fan of echolink But that is Not what this thread is about.

People who post Trash to this thread are Not worthy of a licence, A Life has been Saved and the Spirit of Amateur Radio Helped to save it! If you do not have the same spirit in your soul then go elsewhere!

Well done once again and A Happy New Year to All,
73s
Regards,
Andrew M3KCK

[w8zii]

I didn't know 911 worked for international situations. Thank you for confirming that for us.

[w8zii]

Okay, so you triggered my sarcasm switch. I was simply pointing out that you were the one that made reporting an emergency on a different continent sound as simple as picking up the landline and dialing 911 from the States. I know it doesn't work like that. They know it doesn't work like that.

There were the people directly involved in the QSO immediately prior, and then there were the people monitoring. To my knowledge, the only person there that was in the UK was the victim. It's not every day that you have to call another continent for an emergency. Besides, what self-respecting person would just sit on his/her hands while an emergency was going on? I'd be more worried about them than how many people came to his aid.

[KC9HZJ]

I just have to make a comment about the post that states "It takes 6-9 people on Echolink to make an emergency call... now I'll make sure I don't leave home without my cellphone." Of course, that was paraphrased, but I'm sure you all remember the post regardless.

To preface my comment, I am not bashing any mode here. I am simply making an observation. OK, that said... here it goes:

1) One ham had a heart attack.
2) The station he was speaking with could not call internationally on his cell phone.
3) Ham #3 made the call

The other three or so operators standing by were there making sure everything was ok. If ham #3 could not get through, they could try. The others were also there to relay info if necessary because when ham #3 was on the phone he couldn't pay close attention to the radio. Jeez, if I was having a heart attack at the mic, I wouldn't care how many people were trying to help me as long as I got help.

If the emergency call had come over a VHF repeater or on HF, how many operators do you think would have been monitoring? More than 6? Probably. Would they have made their willingness to help known? Who knows.

The point: The emergency was heard by a number of operators who responded. Sure, they could've sat there and not responded, but they did. Good for them...

[wb5yiw]

Quote[/b] (wb5yiw @ Dec. 30 2005,11:55)]Seems that there is a group of people here that would debate the color of .......tree bark. #Wouldn't matter what you posted, someone would take issue with it.
Quoting myself here just to remind everyone of what I said.

Read back through these posts, all 6 pages of them. You find every facet of humanity represented here. The posts have ranged from the congratulatory to complaints about how it was done, a debate about how many people were needed, even a challenge to whether the guy was really sick or not, right down to the absurdity of whether or not ham radio was even involved.

There are many facets to ham radio. CW, voice, RTTY, remote control, TV, repeaters, space communications, weak signal work, and experimentation to name a few. We seem to have added a few more...beating dead horses, getting bogged down in minutia, proving that one is right and the other is wrong, and automatically disputing anything anyone says that's not part of our little group.

What is the matter with you people? Can't you just be pleased that someone who needed help got it and leave it at that? What difference does it make if radio was "really" involved or not, or if there was someone's idea of an efficient number of people involved? If you don't like echolink, don't use it. If you don't like SSB, CW, or PACTOR, don't use them. Who cares? But don't b**ch because someone else does.

For cryin' out loud.

[w1yw]

Quote[/b] (kc8ycz @ Dec. 30 2005,03:37)]Date of incident 12-29-05
Date of artical 12-30-05

As I sat in front of my computer with echolink on and connected to The Missing Lynk System a messege comes across that a fellow ham needs help. #G4WDI was suffering from a heart attack right at his home while talking on the radio. #WA4VWV was chatting with James when it happened and this is an email that was sent to me directly from Steve, WA4VWV:

"James...you sounded like things were not going well...and then I
got the text message that simply said "HELP"

We rallied the troops and had the paramedics dispatched to your QTH. #Hope you didn't mind that friends of yours was concerned, but when I get a message that says "HELP" then be assured that I will gather every resource available to make sure it happens.

It took several folks on MissLynk to assist and gents from Indiana, Arizona and Washington were directly involved and the entire network went quiet until we were sure that assistance was on the way. #Geez, talk about the spirit and intent of amateur radio. #We all anxiously await positive news!

Let me know what you can, when you can. #Take care and be well!

73 de Steve, WA4VWV"

Also sent in another email was an update:

"Let the record show that our good gang did, in fact, save a life. #The British Army Air Corps responded and found him damned near flatlined, fired up a chopper and flew him off. #Apparently he was on O2, along with CPR during the flight.

A rush trip to the ER of his local hospital brought him around and about 4:15 this AM I got the word that all is once again well. #Hey guys...let's face the reality of last night. #Were it not for the "system" and some heroic reactions, we might have had a Silent Key on our hands. #By all means, this should be an Amateur Radio Newsline item. #What a classic example of our hobby, with several people involved, quite actually saving a life of a fellow ham in a whole different part of the world. #Geez, am I proud of our collective efforts! #Thanks to all involved! This not to pump sunshine up our skirts, but an acknowledgement of a job well done!

73 de WA4VWV"

Just goes to show, doesn't matter what you use as a tool as long as it's for the greater good.
Super!

[w8zii]

...okay, I don't know when to leave things alone. As the original post was quoted, I noted something: the quotes containing the offending parts were just that--quotes from e-mails. They were likely written in the heat of the moment, as well as shortly thereafter.

With that, I'm going to stop adding to the confusion, as much as I tried to clarify it. I was not there, and HZJ was. He seems to have described the situation rather succintly. Besides, YIW is right; this is not the kind of thing we should be arguing over. Like I said in my initial post, anything I say is moot. The OM's better off than he would be otherwise, and that, my friends, is what matters.

I shall now recede to the shadows, to post again in another few months' time. Clear.

[kg5vk]

guys if it was amateur radio ops that were using cell phones and they saved your life would you be upset about the type of technology that was used ?

while I was in New Orleans at Bell Chase Naval Air Station, (I was invited there at the request of the US Coast Guard) to help with in bound traffic
from civilians

most of the traffic if not almost all came to me via HF, however it originated in many ways to the HF ARES nets.

much of what I got was from 911 operators outside of the effected area, that traffic was then placed on HF nets, 2 meter nets and yes VOIP and Echo link

the bottom line is we (Ham Radio OPS) were in the loop, some of the ops that passed the traffic to the HF nets did so without strict use of Ham Radio tools

But the bottom line is our knowledge and skills
of communicating saved lives

Some people were so hung up of precedence and originating station callsigns that they encouraged those seeking help to find other routes, to me that is to single minded.

As an Op on the front lines right there with the US Coast Guard, I wanted only a few things before I handed a request for rescue to the US Coast Guard Helicopter dispatch desk.......

a reason for the emphasis on needing help
above all the others that were waiting for help
(iow medical condidtion ect)

a Lat Long coordinate or a Good solid land mark visible from the Air

I did not need a telephone call back number a prcedence or callsign of the originating station

Nor did I need s simple request for help, they were rescueing them as fast as they could.
give me justification for making your rescue a priority.

Ham Radio was an asset during this Katrina crisis
were you a part of the solution or sitting on your hands complaining because we were too close to your daily rag chew freq !

Steve
KG5VK

[kc8ycz]

Quote[/b] (ai4cb @ Dec. 31 2005,13:02)]You guys could avoid this in the future if you'd get a different person to post your publicity threads. This is the second time in recent memory that kc8ycz has posted a "Ham Radio News" item that contained misleading & exaggerated information for the purpose of hyping up the missinglink system.
Now wait just a minute, I was not trying to plug anyone or make it known that THE MISSING LYNK SYSTEM (shameless plug) or TIPS NET (shameless plug) is the two greatest sytems in the entire world. I was only stating that a life was saved can't you just except that and call it good. As one of the Co-founders of The Missing Lynk System I take great pride in my accomplishment. But to state a fact it WAS echolink that helped and it WAS a ham radio operator or two that helped out and it WAS a humans life that was saved. So whatever you are into I hope you injoy it, no matter what band, freguency, mode, or person you talk to. May your new year be happy and fullfilling

[n4avq]

When FM and repeaters first became big, "real" hams on HF made a big deal about how repeaters to enhance your signal was "cheating", and lots of old timers to this very day have never been on 2m FM.

My station is echolink capable, and I have engaged in QSO's on it. It's not my favorite mode, though I do think it's kinda neat. Lots of big-time DX'ers brag about their mountain top transceivers with remote control to their home QTH in order to work DX. Jeez, isn't that "cheating" too? Or is it taking advantage of latest technology?

Frankly, I just don't see what all the anti-echolink hubub is about. To me, it's no different than using remote control to "borrow" someone else's station (or repeater) in order to make a contact.

I guess a lot of it has to do with whether or not you see Amateur Radio as primarily a "technical" hobby, or a "communications" hobby. I for one, dabble in the technical side, but really enjoy the "communications" side.

For one thing, you can talk to stations overseas and actually communicate with them.

Let me ask you this; How many of you anti-echolink DXers have actually conversed with overseas stations rather than just to exchange signal reports in the middle of a DX pileup? Every time DX gets on, all those damned awards chasers dogpile on so you never get the opportunity to actually TALK to them...Frankly, that's a sad statement. Most people holding DXCC or other awards got them via 45 second QSO's. Heck, that's hardly a contact. At least with Echolink, there's no "pressure" to get-in-get-off-get-out. You can actually hold an intelligent conversation with someone of another culture.

At least, that's what I think.

Tim
N4AVQ

[KD8CMV]

Quote[/b] (ai4cb @ Dec. 31 2005,10:02)]You guys could avoid this in the future if you'd get a different person to post your publicity threads. This is the second time in recent memory that kc8ycz has posted a "Ham Radio News" item that contained misleading & exaggerated information for the purpose of hyping up the missinglink system.
Echolink uses a computer in conjunction with other emergency help tools when needed.
911 uses a computer in conjuntion with other emergency help tools.


I have a question Ron, something I'm curious about.
Because 911 uses a computer, does this make 911 also a phony or useless mode of emergency use?
If so, then the entire world is going to have to rethink their emergency options.

Since you stated that the orignal post contained misleading & exaggerated information for the purpose of hyping up the Missing Lynk System; I was also wondering if you consider the TV program "911" also a misleading & exaggerated effort to hype up the 911 system to mislead the public into thinking that they, the 911 system, are the ONLY ones that are a valid life saving support system in the entire world.

Why would people want to thwart the efforts of ANY individual that uses ANY type of emergency tool used to help save a life just because they don't like/use it?

Is Echolink really that threatening?
Does it give you a life threatening illness?


Seriously people, what does it matter what is used as long as a life has been saved,

At least we can all agree that he was saved and we are all glad he's alive.

[n9zxk]

Seems like no matter that there was good things out of something people allways find the wrong in it. Yes it is true that you dont use it the same way you use a radio but the last i knew about it you had to be a ham to use it. The bottom line it saved a life just like a telemarketer from NY saved a local mans life here just this past week. The thing there is we all hate it when they call. I bet from now on either one of the guys will only have good things to say about both Echolink and telemarkerers..... Bob

[kf4vgx]

Thank you kind and caring * human beings* for caring enough to to help save a life.
All of you anyone any where.

I'm sure there were many other Amateurs willing and able to help,if there had been a need to.


Thank you for being in our Amateur ranks ,being and Amateur myself makes be proud to associate with you.

Makes be proud of Amateur radio .

Best of the New Year to All!

[M3KCK]

Quote[/b] (M3KCK @ Dec. 31 2005,15:15)]Well done to All who Helped save the Life of a Fellow Cornishman!

I am no fan of echolink But that is Not what this thread is about.

People who post Trash to this thread are Not worthy of a licence, A Life has been Saved and the Spirit of Amateur Radio Helped to save it! If you do not have the same spirit in your soul then go elsewhere!

Well done once again and A Happy New Year to All,
73s
Regards,
Andrew # #M3KCK
I would just like to add a bit to what I have already said,

I can not believe some people here are arguing over what method was used to Save G4WDI (James) LIFE!!

G4WDI is a Local Amateur to me and lives in the County of Cornwall as I do, I do not know James personally and have not spoken to him on the Radio (perhaps he only uses Echolink?) But like me I am Sure that the Local Amateurs here are Grateful for what our Friends across the pond did for James!

I would hate to think what local Amateurs would make of this thread if they read it?http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

Shame on some people posting here as it is the usual Trash that we have come to expect and what Qrz.com is getting a Reputation for!
And a Big Thank you to All who Helped http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
73 And a Happy and Healthy New Year To You All
Regards,
Andrew # M3KCK

[G0GQK]

Excellent. The radio amateur community has always helped those in need. In the UK we have 999, for Police, Ambulance or Fire and it has been in existence for years. Systems like this do exist outside the US. I am still confused, where was the message sent to in Britain, a fellow amateur on echolink who rang 999 ?

Mel G0GQK

[N7YA]

Quote[/b] (M3KCK @ Dec. 31 2005,13:04)]Quote[/b] (M3KCK @ Dec. 31 2005,15:15)]Well done to All who Helped save the Life of a Fellow Cornishman!

I am no fan of echolink But that is Not what this thread is about.

People who post Trash to this thread are Not worthy of a licence, A Life has been Saved and the Spirit of Amateur Radio Helped to save it! If you do not have the same spirit in your soul then go elsewhere!

Well done once again and A Happy New Year to All,
73s
Regards,
Andrew M3KCK
I would just like to add a bit to what I have already said,

I can not believe some people here are arguing over what method was used to Save G4WDI (James) LIFE!!

G4WDI is a Local Amateur to me and lives in the County of Cornwall as I do, I do not know James personally and have not spoken to him on the Radio (perhaps he only uses Echolink?) But like me I am Sure that the Local Amateurs here are Grateful for what our Friends across the pond did for James!

I would hate to think what local Amateurs would make of this thread if they read it?http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

Shame on some people posting here as it is the usual Trash that we have come to expect and what Qrz.com is getting a Reputation for!
And a Big Thank you to All who Helped http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
73 And a Happy and Healthy New Year To You All
Regards,
Andrew M3KCK
I agree, but then i have always agreed that otherwise intelligent adults act like 3rd graders on the internet...its safe! I am willing to bet my gear that these conversations wouldnt take place if it were face to face.

I also agree that QRZ.com is becoming a typical american reality show for old folks, a soap opera for the insensitive. an online Roman Colliseum for the slaughter of newbies and new modes.

Most of us are reading this trash for the same reason..., its rubbernecking...were looking for carnage. I see posts by hams here who are pleased to see that other hams did a fine job and helped out...i see posts by other hams who are bored, lonely and feeling left behind....im just taking a guess here. really shows that human spirit, doesnt it?? much less the "ham spirit".

It seems that ANY post thats made on QRZ, no matter how innocent, gets turned into a bloodbath...and im convinced that it truly makes certain people happy to watch dischord being created by thier posts. Ive actually seen posts regarding a boy scout jamboree get attacked by "OT's" as a shameless plug...which then denegrated into a flippin code debate....are you guys kidding me??? the original poster was a ham showing boy scouts about ham radio!!! I was disgusted! i will not subscribe to the train of thought that ham radio is dying....its changing, and some old (and a few young) jerks cant handle it. i seriously think its time for them to hang up the cans...im not kidding, if something brings you THIS much misery, quit doing it!

If ANY of you can tell me different, im all eyes!!

73 and have a happy and safe new year to those of you with a soul left.

N7YA

[K2WH]

Quote[/b] (k0cba @ Dec. 30 2005,05:31)]I am happy for Jim's outcome also but I don't understand; what or where is the Amateur Radio aspect? # What band is 'echolink'...HF, VHF, all or none of the above? I wonder if such a grand thing has ever happened on Yahoo Messenger, MS Messenger or some other computer service that has nothing to do with (ham) radio communications and we just haven't heard about it?
This guy is absolutely correct. #This mans life could also have been saved simply by using his telephone. #To be quite honest, if it was me on the other end, I wouldn't have a clue how to call England on my phone.

However, a true story here, I just saved my wifes life using that heimlich manure and it worked. #I actually saved her life. #Since I am a ham, and I saved a life, could I have posted "Ham Saves Wifes Life in Applebees, Choking on Steak" on QRZ.COM?<hr size="5" color=blue>What about the guy who tried to shove his girlfriends cell phone down her throat? # He phones the cops and says she's having trouble breathing. #She went to the hospital and had a complete cell phone removed from her throat. #Would this make QRZ.COM if the doctor was a ham? #"Ham Removes Cell Phone from Really Annoying Girlfriends#Throat". #How about the NYC transit strike? #I'm sure there are hams there. "Ham Members of NYC Transit Threaten Strike".<hr size="5" color=blue>Wheres the sense in this posting? #People are constantly trying to defend echolink as a viable and new ham radio "mode" #It is not and never will be. #Its crazy that #this information makes this site simply because someone involved is thinly connected to ham radio.<hr size="5" color=blue>This used to be a good site for technical information, project building and theory but no more. In the past I posted articles about building antennas, tuning up rigs, tube comparisons etc. #However, it is now just a gossip column.

K2WH

[kc0nyk]

Excuse me, but the point of this article was that some hams were using one or our several communications modes [yep! VoIP is a mode] and with some luck a life was saved. OUTSTANDING!!!

Now for all the naysayers...............get a grip! You MUST be a licesened verified amatuer to use Echo Link {unlike some of the gorps who make posts on this site} so by default if nothing else, it is part of Ham Radio.

Enough said...glad Jim is doing well. For all the other guys...well done. Happy New Year's, possibly with a bit less bitching on what is or isn't ham radio.

[K2WH]

Quote[/b] (kc0nyk @ Dec. 31 2005,10:31)]Excuse me, but the point of this article was that some hams were using one or our several communications modes [yep! VoIP is a mode] and with some luck a life was saved. #OUTSTANDING!!!

Now for all the naysayers...............get a grip! #You MUST be a licesened verified amatuer to use Echo Link {unlike some of the gorps who make posts on this site} so by default if nothing else, it is part of Ham Radio.

Enough said...glad Jim is doing well. #For all the other guys...well done. #Happy New Year's, possibly with a bit less bitching on what is or isn't ham radio.
Not true. #There are non-hams on echolink using dead ham calls. #Just go to any QST, pick a dead ham and register on echolink. Ha, identity theft on Echo Link. Who wudda thought.

K2WH

Echolink saved a HAM'S life.
The person not the mode counts, so it's a valid post,
73
Howard

BTW seasons greetings again Andy,
I had a heart attack last year, luckily I was near the telephone, and called for assistance, if I had been in the shack I would have called for help on the wireless.
(Perhaps telephones don't count as real radio ) ??

regards from sunny shropshire

and I find this helps when all seems lost :

THE HAM PRAYER

Lord, thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older and will someday be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.

Release me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs.

Make me thoughtful but not moody; helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom it seems a pity not to use it all, but Thou knowest Lord that I want a few friends at the end.

Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details; give me the wings to get to the point. Seal my lips on my aches and pains. They are increasing and love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the tales of other's pains, but help me to endure them with patience.

I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening of cocksuredness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others.

Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to be a Saint – ( some of them are so hard to live with ) - but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the Devil.

Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places and talents in unexpected people. And, give me, O Lord, the grace to tell them so.

AMEN

73
Howard

[KE5FRF]

Quote[/b] (K2WH @ Dec. 31 2005,16:41)]Quote[/b] (kc0nyk @ Dec. 31 2005,10:31)]Excuse me, but the point of this article was that some hams were using one or our several communications modes [yep! VoIP is a mode] and with some luck a life was saved. #OUTSTANDING!!!

Now for all the naysayers...............get a grip! #You MUST be a licesened verified amatuer to use Echo Link {unlike some of the gorps who make posts on this site} so by default if nothing else, it is part of Ham Radio.

Enough said...glad Jim is doing well. #For all the other guys...well done. #Happy New Year's, possibly with a bit less bitching on what is or isn't ham radio.
Not true. #There are non-hams on echolink using dead ham calls. #Just go to any QST, pick a dead ham and register on echolink. #Ha, identity theft on Echo Link. #Who wudda thought.

K2WH
Yeah, and I suppose this has never happened on HF?


Great job guys, Missinglynk, echolynkers, ARRIC members, ARES. SKYWARN, everyone using echolink for whatever reason. Good job all.


For everyone who has made negative comments on this thread......

and I really don't care if I hurt someone's feelings for saying it......

quite frankly, I don't care what the ramifications are...

You all are a bunch of LOSERS. Yes L-O-S-E-R-S.

OK, I sank real low, and I feel bad, but I just can't find a better choice of words to describe these people and how LOW they will go to make an @$$ of themselves.


I wish I had an intelligent comment to add, but quite frankly, these people don't deserve it.

Bye

[xe2cgc]

so what it did save a life # 73s ka6pup

[kr4wm]

The author, knowing that Echolink is a sore subject with many hams, had to "spiff up" this story by describing how Echolink saved a fellow ham's life. If he had titled the article: "Amateur radio operator takes emergency call from the internet and helps save another ham operator's life" the article would have seemed a lot less disingenuous. As it is worded, it's a TROLL article, intended to fan flames and nothing more.

I'm more than thrilled that one ham was able to save another hams life by receiving an emergency call via the internet. Other than the folks at each end of the {wired} circuit both holding an amateur radio license, radio had absolutely nothing to do with saving the fellow's life. The software used at both the ends of the communication could have just as easily been AOL Instant Messenger, ICQ, Yahoo Chat, MSN Instant Messenger, or any of a host of other chat programs and the same end result surely would have happened because of the PEOPLE INVOLVED.

A good deed was done- this cannot be argued. Pat yourself on the back and give yourself congratulations- this is certainly in order. But please don't credit amateur radio with the save because it had absolutely nothing to do with it.

-KR4WM

[n9zxk]

Kr4wm, Sir you are wrong. Ham radio did have a lot to do with it. With echolink you have to be a amateur to be able to use it.. Yes i know that there are a few who made up or used someones call but most i would say are amateurs. Yes it could have been any IM's but it wasnt. It was one that is for ham ops.. So ham radio did a part in saving this man.

[N2MMM]

Quote[/b] (kr4wm @ Dec. 31 2005,19:57)]The author, knowing that Echolink is a sore subject with many hams, had to "spiff up" this story by describing how Echolink saved a fellow ham's life. If he had titled the article: "Amateur radio operator takes emergency call from the internet and helps save another ham operator's life" the article would have seemed a lot less disingenuous. As it is worded, it's a TROLL article, intended to fan flames and nothing more.

I'm more than thrilled that one ham was able to save another hams life by receiving an emergency call via the internet. Other than the folks at each end of the {wired} circuit both holding an amateur radio license, radio had absolutely nothing to do with saving the fellow's life. The software used at both the ends of the communication could have just as easily been AOL Instant Messenger, ICQ, Yahoo Chat, MSN Instant Messenger, or any of a host of other chat programs and the same end result surely would have happened because of the PEOPLE INVOLVED.

A good deed was done- this cannot be argued. Pat yourself on the back and give yourself congratulations- this is certainly in order. But please don't credit amateur radio with the save because it had absolutely nothing to do with it.

-KR4WM
Echolink was designed to work with Amateur radio. and in fact requires Amateur Radio to work. It is just another mode for Amateurs to use. If amateurs are to keep abreast of technology, they'll have to learn to use some of these new modes. As older modes dwindle in importance, these newer modes will come to the fore. Through it all, the basics of CW and AM fone will never completely disappear for the sake of their simplicity and sheer enjoyment value, not by regulatory fiat. Echolink IS amateur radio. Now if I can get the damned software to work on my computer. 8-)

[WZ4I]

Quote[/b] (N2MMM @ Dec. 31 2005,20:23)]Echolink was designed to work with Amateur radio. and in fact requires Amateur Radio to work.
Since when?

Do you make this stuff up as you go?


RTFM, OM.

[kd4mxe]

Quote[/b] (ai4cb @ Dec. 31 2005,08:42)]Quote[/b] (kd4mxe @ Dec. 31 2005,09:07)]- well sir I am sure some learned from this and next time it could only take one to do the job ,and that would Be good to ,... there is always Room for improvement,and I am sure they learned something from this...
That's exactly the point.

They should give this guy a t-shirt that says "I Survived Echolink".

Quote[/b] ]But if it had Been me at the time I would have Been glad if 15 could do it ,

Frankly, if were me, and now knowing that could take 6 (or 10, or 15) hams on echolink to make a 911 call, I'd just make darn sure I never left the house without my cell phone.
ai4cb -well sir have it your way ,but if it had Been you that needed help , you just could see it different , But it did not happen to you so , Be careful of stones you throw it just could Be you that needs help some day ,and to the guys that pull this off good job to you and happy new year to all, 73 Bill

[kr4wm]

Quote[/b] (n9zxk @ Dec. 31 2005,20:17)]Kr4wm, Sir you are wrong. Ham radio did have a lot to do with it. With echolink you have to be a amateur to be able to use it.. Yes i know that there are a few who made up or used someones call but most i would say are amateurs. Yes it could have been any IM's but it wasnt. It was one that is for ham ops.. So ham radio did a part in saving this man.
No, ham radio had absolutely nothing to do with it. Ham radio {OPERATORS} had a lot to do with it, but they were connected by Ma Bell's wire (or whomever their respective internet service providers are), no radio involved. Yes, you have to have a ham license to register, or you could lie about having a ham license, pirate someone else's callsign, or use some other creative scheme and become a registered user- but this is sheer speculation and ->ASIDE<- from the ->FACT<- (admitted by the author in the original article) a radio was not used at either end of the communication.

You and I can both be amateur radio operators, but if I dial into the modem of your computer using my modem and computer, and you and I send messages back and forth, it doesn't make it ham radio contact, even if the content of the messages concerns amateur radio.

The very essence of amateur radio begins with the generation of an RF signal which gets transmitted via electromagnetic radiation by an antenna, is received by someone else's antenna, and the resulting received signal (which did not arrive by wire) is converted back into intelligible audio (or video) at another location, whether the signal was originated by computer, RTTY terminal, SSTV terminal, microphone, or morse key (and any other method of inserting a signal into a box which is considered to be a radio). To paraphrase W5HTW-

RADIO = RADIO
EVERYTHING ELSE = NOT RADIO

Again, I'm enthralled that someone's life was saved using the internet, but just because persons at both ends of an internet chat session held amateur radio licenses does not make it a ham radio contact. That both the rescuer and rescuee (sic) happened to hold amateur radio licenses was merely incidental to the event.

Based on the authors prior postings here, it was, and still is, my opinion that the article was written primarily as an attempt to ridicule those who dislike Echolink, primarily because of the way it was written. If only it had been written in a more accurate coloring, such as "amateur radio operator saves life after receiving an emergency message over the internet", then somewhere in the article giving credit to Echolink software (not amateur radio), it would have been much less of a troll article.

Intel, AMD, and IBM are not in the business of making amateur radios, last time I checked their respective websites....

-KR4WM

[w9mpc]

Just a note.. kc9hzj would never have known to make that telephone call to the UK to summon the ambulance, if he had not answered the call for help that he heard on his 2 METER RADIO. (Listening to echolink over a simplex node.)
Sounds an awful lot like ham radio to me.

[kr4wm]

Quote[/b] (kc9gkh @ Dec. 31 2005,21:33)]Just a note.. kc9hzj would never have known to make that telephone call to the UK to summon the ambulance, if he had not answered the call for help that he heard on his 2 METER RADIO. (Listening to echolink over a simplex node.)
Sounds an awful lot like ham radio to me.
Please explain to us how a 2M repeater converts text being viewed on a computer screen at someone's home (remote from the repeater) into voice that can be transmitted over the air. And I quote (from the original article):

"and then I got the text message that simply said "HELP""

Do you think it reached the repeater by way of Faraday rotation*? Perhaps the repeater has the same text-to-speech software that the NWS has? If the message received over the repeater was simply "HELP" in the usual computer-robot voice, how would a casual listener know who sent the message? <GRIN>

Nice try though... ROTFLMFAO!

-KR4WM

*Humorous attempt to make a reference to a signal bounced off the moon.

[k5ktd]

The way the help message was transmitted was simple text messaging from logged-in user to logged-in user, the same as Skype, AOL, MSN Messenger, or Yahoo.

From www.echolink.org: "EchoLink® software allows licensed Amateur Radio stations to communicate with one another over the Internet, using voice-over-IP (VoIP) technology."

Only licensed Operators in the Amateur Radio Service are permitted to register with the EchoLink server. (This is a qualification-to-use.)

EchoLink uses VoIP. (Voice over Internet Protocol)

EchoLink is restricted-use internet chat with voice capability, nothing more, nothing less.

[w9mpc]

KR4WM: Okie doke... here goes: KC8YCZ was using echolink via a computer terminal. By using a computer, he can not only hear audio, but also see text messages as well.
Am I going too fast for you?
He (kc8ycz) SEES the text message, "help." Naturally he becomes excited and starts speaking into his microphone.
KC9HZJ, #is conversing with the group using a 2m FM, transceiving over a simplex link.
(This is kind of like when you use your HT on your local repeater, except KC9HZJ can dial up any of his choice of thousands of repeaters, simplex links, or even individuals.)
You're still with me, aren't you?
KC9HZJ picks up the ball (figuratively) and his TELEPHONE (literally) and gets through to a skeptical and astonished hospital nurse over 3,000 miles away, telling her that he is an amateur radio operator in the US, and that one of the fellows he was QSOing with, James, G4WDI, needs an ambulance.
Still with me there, Webster? Is it clear now? KC9HZJ HEARD the call for help over two meter FM. In my opinion, he responded rather well.

[kr4wm]

Quote[/b] (kc9gkh @ Dec. 31 2005,23:00)]KR4WM: Okie doke... here goes: KC8YCZ was using echolink via a computer terminal. By using a computer, he can not only hear audio, but also see text messages as well.
Am I going too fast for you?
He (kc8ycz) SEES the text message, "help." Naturally he becomes excited and starts speaking into his microphone.
KC9HZJ, is conversing with the group using a 2m FM, transceiving over a simplex link.
(This is kind of like when you use your HT on your local repeater, except KC9HZJ can dial up any of his choice of thousands of repeaters, simplex links, or even individuals.)
You're still with me, aren't you?
KC9HZJ picks up the ball (figuratively) and his TELEPHONE (literally) and gets through to a skeptical and astonished hospital nurse over 3,000 miles away, telling her that he is an amateur radio operator in the US, and that one of the fellows he was QSOing with, James, G4WDI, needs an ambulance.
Still with me there, Webster? Is it clear now? KC9HZJ HEARD the call for help over two meter FM. In my opinion, he responded rather well.
OK, please show me where it says any of this in the original post. Sorry- it's just not there. I suppose Echolinkers are also mind readers, and you expect everyone else to be one too? Geez- some people's kids... -KR4WM

[w9mpc]

Don't expect clairvoyance. Do expect you to read thoroughly before posting ... or questioning my veracity.

[k7vin]

WOW! That made my New Year, great story.I mis the mysinglink I use to hear it hear in the mesa az. area on a live repeater. I have to get a interface so I can join in. Does anyone know a node on IRLP that I can conect to untill then?
THANKS, KE7EGZ VINNY

[M3KCK]

I can not believe that some people are Still posting Trash to this thread?http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif Yes I know I forgot its the American Mentality!!

If you want to use echolink then you have to send a Copy of your Amateur Radio Licence to be Verified Before you can use Echolink! http://www.echolink.org/authentication.htm

I guess some people prefer to post Trash and have No Soul, If you are going to Post Trash as least make it Factual.
Well Done again to All those Involved,
73
Happy New Year,
Regards,
Andrew

[KI4KOF]

God, Some people are just too darn picky! Wake up people and join the rest of the world!!

[KC2LNB]

I thought saveing a life was a good thing no matter how one dose it radio,phone,two cans and a string, whatever I would just like to say if it me or one of myloved ones I would like people no I would want people like those that helped this gentlemen out around me for sure .

[kr4wm]

Quote[/b] (kc9gkh @ Jan. 01 2006,00:12)]Don't expect clairvoyance. Do expect you to read thoroughly before posting ... or questioning my veracity.
Again, please show me where it says any of this in the original post. I did not question your veracity. I questioned that the original poster stated that any of the communications occurred over amateur radio. Nowhere in his article was this stated. I wasn't expecting clairvoyance, but apparently you and/or the original author were...? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

I'm happy that a life was saved by amateur radio operators who were using the internet at the time. I'm not debating that a wonderful thing happened via collaborative communications between hams.

-KR4WM

[kc8ycz]

LET ME START BY SAYING HAPPY NEW YEAR. OK I (KC8YCZ) PERSONALLY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS INCIDENT HOWEVER, PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO WHAT I AM ABOUT TO SAY, I DID PLAY SOMEWHAT OF A PART IN IT BECAUSE I WAS SILENT AND WAITED IN SILENCE FOR WA4VWV USING ECHOLINK VIA COMPUTER AND KC9HZJ USING ECHOLINK VIA RADIO RF TO TAKE CARE OF THE EMERGENCY. THIS ARTICAL WAS NOT TO ADVERTISE FOR THE MISSING LYNK SYSTEM, ECHOLINK, ARICC, TIPS OR ANY PERSONAL HAM RADIO OPERATOR. IT WAS POSTED BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS RATHER IMPORTANT FOR A FELLOW HAM TO KNOW THAT A FELLOW HAM WAS SAVED BY FELLOW HAMS. SO IT WAS ECHOLINK AND RF AND HAM AND OPERATERS THAT SAVED HIM. HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE COULD HONESTLY SAY THAT THEY WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME FOR HIM OR ANY PERSON FO THAT MATTER. FOR THE FELLOW HAM BROTHERS AND SISTERS THAT POSTED POSITIVE FEED BACK, I THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF HEART. TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO POSTED NEGETIVE FEEDBACK AND INSULTED ME OR ANY OTHER HAM RADIO OPERATOR I SAY TO YOU, YOU ARE THE WEAKEST LINK, GOODBYE.

NOTE: I DID NOT CALL THE NEGATIVE NOONIES MY BROTHER OR SISTER, WONDER WHY THAT IS.

73
REGGIE
KC8YCZ

[K2WH]

Quote[/b] (M3KCK @ Jan. 01 2006,02:17)]I can not believe that some people are Still posting Trash to this thread?http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif Yes I know I forgot its the American Mentality!!

If you want to use echolink then you have to send a Copy of your Amateur Radio Licence to be Verified Before you can use Echolink! http://www.echolink.org/authentication.htm

I guess some people prefer to post Trash and have No Soul, If you are going to Post Trash as least make it Factual.
Well Done again to All those Involved,
73
Happy New Year,
Regards,
Andrew
Hey Andrew, where did you get the idea you have to send in a copy of your ham license. I didn't and I don't know anyone else who did.

Maybe they started that after they found out about all the non-hams using echolink.

K2WH

[K2WH]

Quote[/b] (ai4cb @ Dec. 31 2005,21:40)]If it had been HF or a conventional VHF or UHF repeater system, using SSB, AM, FM, the story would have been titled "Ham Radio Operator Saves Life".

I don't think I've ever seen any news items titled # "Upper Single Sideband Saves Life", #"FM Saves Life", #"F2 Layer Propagation Saves Life" or "Vertex VR-5000 Saves Life".

But when it comes to anything digital, all of a sudden hams don't save lives anymore. Instead we get things like "Echolink Saves Life", "Winlink Saves Life", and it's only a matter of time before we see "D-Star Saves Life".
Correct. It's the same thing about SUV's. If someone is hit and killed by a car it makes the news with nary a mention about the type of car. You do not see a headline "Man Killed by Chevy".

If someone is hit and killed by an "SUV", the headline always reads "Person killed by "SUV". Go figure.

K2WH

[n3cdx]

It is a great thing to hear fellow hams step up to help someone in need...thanks for the post..hope he is doing ok....

[n3cdx]

I cant believe fellow hams are still talking trash about this post.If you Are a true Ham have some heart..Reggie Asked how many would of done the same thing and i did not see any response to that...I know I damn sure would..ham radio is a great thing along with echolink...everyone in Greenville,PA is hoping this fellow ham is doing ok.....HAPPY NEW YEAR....

73'S Chip Greenville,PA

[kc8ycz]

As an update Jim is doing fine and is at home. He has a nurse with him 24/7. He had a mild stroke from my takes of it. There is a technical term for it. Hope that helps you N3TLG.
73
Happy New Year
Reggie

[g0vuh]

Reading some of the comments from you guys out there beggers disbelief!! Discussing if it was amateur radio or not, do's it really matter a mans life was saved for gods sake, stop griping!!
G0VUH andy ( Amateur Radio Operator )

[k2jsv]

Well well well. Where should I begin?

M3KCK, to answer your question. It is the American way to spit in each others faces. It's a perfect example of Darwinism at it's best.

I forget who said it about Intel, AMD, IBM, etc... and how they don't make amateur radios. Well... don't some of those corporations make firmware and storage mediums that are used in fabricating amateur radios. Just an oddball thought...

For the rest of you...

I can't beleive the shortsightedness of some of you. You people are arguing over something you can't control because you feel empowered to do so. you wonder why amateur radio is dieing? It's because of grumpy sacks of wasted flesh like you people, you don't care that a few people did a great thing for their fellow man and saved a life. You're standing on your high horse screaming at the top of your lungs "I was done by Echolink... oh the evils of technology". For that I think someone should knock you off your horses and kick the snot out of you.

For the self admited emergency personnel, you probably know what I am saying here. The fact of the matter is, most of you fail to realize that amateur radio and all it's aspects is a TOOL. And however many were involved, they utilized several tools, some of which involved amateur radio to help one of their own. That is what being a part of an "emergency service" is all about. What would have some you guys done if someone called you looking for help? "I would get on my trusty HF rig and hammer out a distress call in CW" (Note the sarcasm) I cannot believe that some of you guys are such self-righteous LOSERS to want to get down on someone for reporting what was a job very well done, by another group of amateurs.

To the people involved in saving a life. Congratulations, good work, and keep it up. You are the heros of this story, regardless of how the job was done. You have exemplified what it means to be involved in a public service and provide that service in the time of someone's need.

[kr4wm]

Quote[/b] (g0vuh @ Jan. 01 2006,09:18)]Reading some of the comments from you guys out there beggers disbelief!! Discussing if it was amateur radio or not, do's it really matter a mans life was saved for gods sake, stop griping!!
G0VUH andy ( Amateur Radio Operator )
I'm not debating whether or not a life was saved by amateur radio operators, I'm not debating good intentions, and I'm not debating whether the proper thing was done or not. I'm thoroughly convinced that all parties acted in good faith, and that the result was a life saved. Fantastic!

I am (was) debating whether or not amateur radio was involved, and apparently, later in the chain, it was, but this was not stated in the original article, which begged explanation as to how the article was connected to amateur radio in the first place (other than the fact that amateur radio operators were involved). This is, after all, an amateur radio website. You wouldn't expect to read an article on this website, for example, that said "ham uses cell phone to save life", would you? You wouldn't expect to see "ham operator walks next door and saves life" written so that the act of walking was what saved someone's life would you? The article is an attempt at justification for the existence of Echolink, with the fact that a life was saved as secondary consideration.

I can't help but wonder if this article would have even shown up here at all if Echolink had not been involved. What if- (for sheer sake of ponderance) the fellow with the emergency had been using, for example, AOL Instant Messenger? And I'm still wondering (just for curiosity's sake) why the first person to see "HELP" on their computer screen passed over placing the phone call to emergency services himself- this question hasn't been answered. And before anyone jumps on my case, I'm not trying to make this person look bad. Perhaps he didn't have a phone? Maybe he did not know who or how to call? Who knows.... this is merely something to discuss to help this person (and others reading this) become better prepared in the event something like this ever happens again!

Don't twist my words to say that I'm belittling the act of saving a life. Absolutely nothing could be further from the truth! I merely stated (albiet mistakenly, based on the original article) that no radio was involved in this rescue. Without a radio being involved, the article deservedly should have been written from a different perspective to maintain accurracy.

Echolink did not save a life. Ham operators saved a life. Without their actions, no save would have occurred. To those involved, you did a wonderful thing! KUDOS!

-KR4WM

[M5FRA]

Quote[/b] (n9lya @ Dec. 30 2005,09:50)]Lets try to have positive posts .. the Auther did not try to title it Amateur Radio VIA Echolink Saves life.. OR Echolink via Amateur Radio saves life.. he titled it correctly...

And only stated in the article the following... "In the spirit of Amateur Radio.. "
A gree and think we need to this in perspective: 1) Echolink is part of amateur radio whether we, as individuals, like it or not. 2) A life was saved. Speaking as someone who has recently survived an MI and a cardiac arrest I don't care about the finer points of the argument about whether Echolink is a valid ham radio activity. This guy is alive today and he would not have been if he had not been using Echolink and licensed radio hams had not responded. That IS very positive and should be used as good PR.

[W0GI]

I can just feel the love.

For 2006, we should change the phrase "Ham Radio" to "Hate Radio".

You would think Echolink was the end of the world.

Happy New Year. Remember to take your medication.

W6NJ

[KD8BIL]

WOW... Hams sure are passionate! IT IS funny that people are emboldened to slam other hams when typing in a thread like this - but are nice as hell on the air - I guess I'd prefer it that way rather than the other way around :-)

Two comments:
I have signed up for Echolink and before I could do anything - it required that my call be verified. #I assume they didn't single me out and do that - ergo, people on Echolink must b